2nd November 2012

The 2 runners yesterday again gave us a run for the money with Baheeja tipped each way missing out on a place by a head, and Rumh trying to lead from start to finish before going down in a photo finish. The latter especially was a brave run and although ultimately unsuccessful, it helped to bring us nicely onto the weekend and the great racing action today. Apart from racing in the UK, the Breeders Cup meeting kicks off tonight and like I said earlier in the week, I've attempted to look for worthy favourites to back. Here are the 4 favoured selections for tonight's racing:


MERIT MAN - Juvenile Sprint (Friday 1:06pm local time) +7 hours = 8:06pm UK time
Expected to perform best out of the contenders and the others appear to need to find a lot on him. 7/4 Ladbrokes, Coral
SKY LANTERN - Juvenile Fillies Turf (Friday 2:28pm) =9:28pm
Arguably the best in the race, she will be extremely hard to beat especially on Moyglare form. Connections are excited. 7/2 Betfred, Totesport
THE FUGUE - Fillies & Mares Turf (Friday 3.48pm) = 10.48pm
On her best form there's none much better. Deserves another big prize and this would make up for some disappointments this season. 11/4 Totesport
ROYAL DELTA - Ladies Classic (Friday 4.30pm) = 11.30pm
Would have been fancied if she raced in the Classic on Saturday. Will put up a good run to protect crown. 11/4 William Hill

Back to racing in the UK and Ireland now and here are today's best selections.

14.10 Newmarket

This is certainly going to be a test of stamina over 12 furlongs in the soft conditions, and consequently a proven horse over the distance and in the conditions is a premium. Gosbeck certainly has stamina but her ability to deal with soft going is less assured and as a result she is passed over. Require comes in to the race off the back of a near 12 furlong success in softer conditions and she already has a win on heavy to her name. She did well to concede weight all around that day and another good run can be expected from the 3 year old, however preference is for RIO'S ROSANNA who gets the conditions she properly thrives in for the first time since June. On soft or worst her form reads 213 with defeats to Lexi's Boy and Easy Terms. She will certainly give us a run and her extra years and experience can count here today to account for her main market rival. Bridle Belle is also respected but has struggled off this mark before and Bedazzled needs to find more if she is to impact proceedings today. 13/2 Bet365, Betfred, Totesport

15.55 Newmarket

The attention is naturally drawn to the 2 national hunt trained horses Ardlui and LIEUTENANT MILLER with preference for the latter who on his only run on the flat has run to a higher standard than Alan King's gelding. Receiving 7 pounds as well only helps his cause and he is confidently backed here even in the soft conditions. They shouldn't pose a problem here even though they will help the cause of Bilidn and Kleitomachos. 3/1 several

14.00 Wetherby

This is an intriguing Listed contest with several in the mix without any one horse standing out from the crowd. Aurora's Encore tops the racecard but has struggled to cope with this mark since a good second around Ayr, which is a track he clearly enjoys. He may stuggle today even with the help of his 7 pound claimer. Battle Group is another in with a decent chance and a good run is expected, but he keeps finding one too good. Bless The Wings needs to show he can perform up to last year's standard and Lease Lend should perform better after his opening run a fortnight ago. Nez Rouge can run well fresh, but to do so to win after 475 days off would be a great training performance by Nigel Twiston-Davies, and ultimately he may get found out towards the end of the race. Drever Rouge comes back after nearly 2 years off and is watched at best. Tiger O'Toole comes into the race off the back of only a one and a half length defeat to Fingal Bay but that result needs to be franked first as I'm not sure how good it is just yet. Gansey is also respected with a course and distance win. However I just fancy DARNA who rates a big threat if putting in a clear round of jumping.  He's come a long way for this and it must be worth the trip, and a current odds he can be backed nicely each way as well. 10/1 several

14.35 Wetherby

There's little to suggest this race shouldn't come down to a head to head between Sametegal and HILALI with both Walsh and McCoy making the trip to Wetherby to ride these. The former is Walsh's only ride of the day, but he hangs around to race in the feature tomorrow, whereas McCoy is here representing JP McManus. He has another ride but may find this race more winnable and wouldn't want to head down to Ascot tomorrow without a win under his belt. It will be an interesting match up as both should handle conditions and the trip, but preference is for Hilali to provide McCoy another winner for his partnership with Gary Brown. 5/2 Stan James ***UPDATE - on the way down to the first, McCoy was injured falling from his mount and currently in an ambulance. Believed he walked to the ambulance and sustained a facial injury. Unknown at this point how likely he is to race this afternoon; his absence would be a blow for the selection LATEST NEWS McCoy has been stood down for this ride and will not be racing.***

14.05 Down Royal

Miley Shah has already lowered the flag of one horse who finished 3rd at Cheltenham last year when accounting for Trifolium last time out. He landed a gamble that day and has to be respected facing a similar opponent today in MONKSLAND. However the latter rates as a more difficult opponent on his ability to run well fresh and although conceding 7 pounds today, Monksland is expected to take this for the in form Meade yard. It probably won't be as easy as the odds suggest, but this looks a good starting point for making amends of an unlucky run in the Neptune and he should be able to cope with today's conditions better. 10/11 several

Good luck!

The Horse Whisperer